(Newser)
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The most devout countries in the world are “relatively poor”—except the United States. A new Gallup study shows that in “the world’s poorest countries,” a median of 95% say religion is important in their daily lives. In the richest countries, that number drops to 47%. (Gallup defines the poorest countries as those with average per-capita incomes of $2,000 or lower, while the richest average higher than $25,000.) The US is an exception: A rich country where about 65% say religion is important.

Overall, the survey of 114 countries found that 84% of people globally call religion important, LiveScience reports. Other rich countries were less religious than the US: In France, 30% marked it as important; in Sweden, only 17%. Gallup analysts theorize the typical link between religion and poverty may be due to the fact that religion helps residents of poor countries cope.

If religion is important for people living in poor countries as well as people living in rich country like US, then income level has very little to do with religion. Rather, US and poor countries are related on having higher stress levels on day to day living. In that sense, stress level is more tied to religion. The more you are happy, the less religious you are.